A Squat break to Varkala – The Flawless Heaven!

After a deep thinking we finally decided our Holiday spot as Varkala, which is a seaside destination with red laterite. It’s a coastal town located in the Indian State of Kerala. It’s on the Arabian Sea and known for Varkala Beach, backed by palm-covered red cliffs. We had a 2 Day halt there, and checked into Sun View Beach Resort.

We chose to reach Varkala via Rail (Amritha Express from Palakkad). It took less than 6 hrs to reach this beautiful seaside heaven. You can also reach here via Air ways as the Trivandrum International Airport is the nearest airport, which is at the distance of 51 Km to the destination. And by Road- Varkala Bus Station is well connected to all major cities of India.

Winter season is the best spell for a visit to Varkala. The months when Varkala is ultimate for a trip is for the months of October – March. Monsoon season is also a nice time to visit (Note: midsummers must be avoided, due to the unfriendly climate).

Onset @ Varkala

We reached there early morning, after check-in and a quick shower; we left to explore the Sunrise @ Varkala. As soon as we reached the cliff area, we sighted a stunning rainbow.

Usually Sunrises between 6:30AM- 6:45AM. People , including foreigners can be spotted jogging, walking and doing yoga. In the mornings, fisherman can be seen catching fishes and some fish’s even wash up to the shore. The beach is well connected to the cliff where one can go and have food/beverages in restaurants.

Our Destination

We then moved to Papanasam beach and Cliff, which is the main attraction at Varkala. Above the beach are tall red laterite cliffs and just next to the sea are freshwater mineral springs.

It’s a perfect place to watch the sunset or relax eyeing at the horizon. It has a white sandy beach and the area is covered with coconut palms and small restaurants .

The evening visions of the sundown are worth prolonged over. Despite its backpacker vibe, Varkala is essentially a temple town, and the main Papanasam Beach is a holy place where Hindus come to make offerings for passed loved ones, assisted by priests. The Papanasam beach is a nature lover’s delight. This is by far the cleanest beach I have been to.

Kappil Lake provides way to the charming world of Kerala backwaters. This peaceful bay winds through dense coconut plantations before merging into the Arabian Sea.

Janardana Swami Temple AKA Varkala Temple is a 2000-year-old holy place. It is a very well-known temple in Kerala. Lord Vishnu is the main worship. A ten-day Arattu festival is the highlight here, which is in the month of March-April. The celebrations include all night long performances such as traditional Kathakali dancing.

Sivagiri Mutt is a prominent ashram in Varkala which is situated at the top of the Sivagiri hill near Varkala, founded by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. The final resting place of the Guru here attracts thousands of devotees every year.

A tour to the Varkala beach won’t be complete unless you tread the trance of Thiruvambady beach.

The beach is near the North cliff and it is also called Black Sand Beach. Compared to Papanasam Thiruvambady beach is a less-frequented one. You can climb down the cliff or can drive about one kilometer to reach this serene and calm beach. It is perfect destination for those who are looking for that secluded spot where they could spend time in peace and silence. The unique feature of the beach is the black sand.

Aquarium, A worthwhile diversion from the beach. It’s in between Black Beach and Odayam Beach, has large tanks, viewed from a spiraling walkway, that are full of glamorous species comprising of piranha, sea snakes, scorpion fish and the local karimeen.

Dining @ Varkala

Eating won’t be a problem there as there are some standard diners in Varkala that offer delicious cuisines reaching from South Indian to Continental, Italian, and Chinese. Vegetarians need not have to worry as you can get vegetarian food at Oottupura Vegetarian Restaurant, and Hotel Suprabhatham. We had opted for Oottupura; they provided a classic vegetarian diet.

Shopping @ Varkala

Shopping at Varkala must also include traditional handicrafts, artifacts and utility items made of coir that is also easily available in the shops. Seaside Cliffs not only provide food and drink but little shops as well.

The visitor can find unique Indian crafts, clothing and much more in these little shops that are located among the restaurants and bars along the cliffs. Packets of aromatic spices, tea or coffee in the city markets, can also be included to finish off your shopping list in Varkala.

Creative coconut shell items and typical beach products locally made of shells and oysters can also be decent buys here. You can also find beautiful Rajasthani and Kashmiri traditional ornaments here.